Attachment means



July 28, 1942- M. H. RHODES 2,291,560

ATTACHMENT MEANS Filed ont. 28, 1940 Patented July 28, 1942 ATTACHMENT MEANS Marcus H. Rhodes, Hartford, Conn., assignor to M. H. Rhodes, Inc., Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application October 28, 1940, Serial No. 363,131

2 Claims. (Cl. 287-53) This invention relates to attachment means, and with regard to certain more specic features,

to attachments for control handles, knobs, point-` ers, indicators and the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an attachment which will provide for pushing a handle or the like onto an arbor for snugly holding the handle, but which permits the handle to be easily removed in case of the necessity for replacement or repair; the provision of a device of the class described which though it permits axial application and removal of the handle, without tools, will not permit it to loosen under rotary twist or i'all od in service; the provision of a device of this class employing a simple arbor form; the provision of a device of the class described which under no circumstance will permit the knob or handle to rotate on the arbor from the position at which the knob was originally set; and the provision of a device of the class described which may be mounted in ordinarily frangible materials without breakage. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter f described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are illustrated two of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a plan view of a knob to which the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction oi Fig. l, parts being broken away to show a partial section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fis. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a spring holding plate;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing another form of the spring holding plate;

Fig, 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but enlarged, showing a detail of how the holding spring of Fig. i5 is applied; and,

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 9 8 of Fis. 7.

. Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, numeral i indicates what will hereinafter be referred to as a handle, and which is representative of the various devices which may be attached, such as knobs, pointers, indicators and the like. It is oftendesirable that handles of this type be formed of materials which are frangible, these materials being chosen because of various desirable properties, such as appearance, or heat-insulating properties, or electrical insulating properties or the like. Such materials may for example be plastics, porcelain, hard rubber or the like.

The back (or underside) of the handle is shown at 3, and in this is arranged a circular recess 5. At the bottom of the recess is a. depression indicated generally by the numeral 1, and which in particular consists in a short rectangular portion 9 having an inlet beveled asshown at II. The length of this rectangle (within the bevels I I) is only slightly greater than the diameter of the arbor 25, to be inserted.

Next to the short rectangular depression 9 is another rectangular depression I3 which is narrower and more elongate in form than rectanglev s. Depression I3 has shelfl portions I5 providing narrow slots l1 which dene the endsof a long rectangle between rectangles 9 .and I3. On the side of the rectangular depression I3 (on which are also the shelves I5) is formed a semi-cylindrical protrusion or boss I9. f

In the notches I 1 are placed the ends 2 ofya metallic spring insert plateZI. From the edges of the insert plate are struck out or lanced spring tabs 23 providing a. wedge-like form, as

shown in Fig. 5. The size of the spring insert plate 2I is such that the ends may slide into the notches l1 while the wedge-liketongues or tabs 23 springingly engage the shelf portionsy I5 to prevent withdrawal. r'The narrow portions of the wedge-like tabs 23 enter notches I1 foremost and the wider rear portions grip to preventwithdrawal. This encloses or completes the rectangle 9 and provides a socket for the receptionof the arbor 25 to be accommodated. f,

The arbor 25 is iiat on two sides, as indicated at 21, for springingly slipping into said rectangular recess 9. The springing t is provided by the spring plate 2l. The resulting deflection of the spring insert 2|, as a beam, is limited by the boss I9, as indicated in Fig. overtensioning or weakening of the spring and prevents weakening ofits holding power on the flat side of the arbor 25, as inadvertently happens at times in normal settings and occasionally happens by abusivemanipulation.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is shown a variation in 4. This prevents which like numerals designate like parts., The

additional feature is the lancing or striking out of another tongue 29 in the center of spring plate 2|, in a direction opposite to the tongues 23. Thus, when the spring member 2| is inserted as shown in Fig. '1, the tongue 29 exerts pressure against one ilat side 21 of the arbor 25 when the arbor is inserted into the rectangle 9. The boss I9 again limits the springing action to a proper amount. The deflections shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are exaggerated for purposes of description.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 8, the tongues 23 respond to easy insertion of the members 2|, but since they are closely bound in the notches I1, they prevent the spring member 2| from-coming out. However, in the case of the at central portion of the spring of Fig. 5, and in the case oi' the tongue portion 29 in Fig. 6, the grip on the at arbor 25 is not enough to prevent a removal of the handle from the arbor 25 upon giving it a substantial pull, as distinguished from the normal endwise forces that it would be subject to in eilecting rotary adjustments of .the handle I.

The invention avoids the use of intricate shapes in the material of the handle, -such as screw threads or the like. Also, no excessive local stresses are brought about in the handle which would break it, as by screws, bolts or the like. The nt on arbor 25 is pleasingly snug, both in response to application of the handle and to-pull for removal, although the pull for removal is substantial enough not to be inadvertently brought about. No tools are required either to apply the handle to the arbor or to remove it and in coming off, the plate 2| is not pulled out.

This invention speeds up assembly several hundred per cent. over that of the ordinary screwthread devices. It is particularly advantageous where the article is to be reassembled into other apparatus such as gas ranges, washing machines and the like.

The invention eliminates the necessity of slotting the arbor, and slotting is a slow and expenlive operation compared to the fast milling operation or the like for making ats 21.

Another advantage is that the ats 21 may more readily be applied to the arbor at the proper angle (desired for the handle on the arbor) than is the casein applying a slot.

Another advantage is that one of the flats '21 engages the material of the handle I, whereas the other is engaged by the spring plate 2 I. This means that the handle is held on not only by friction between two metal surfaces (between parts 25 and 2|), but also by the friction between a metal surface and the surface of the material from which the handle is made (between parts 25 and I). This means that there are obtained any desired frictional characteristics of the material which makes up the handle I. For example the frictional characteristics between a metal arbor 25 and a plastic handle I are desirable.

It will be understood that throughout the drawing, where necessary Ifor purposes of illustration, clearances and deections have been exaggerated.

In view of the above, it will be seen' that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made inthe above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted l. An attachment for connecting handles and the like with arbors having two at portions. each attachment comprising a rectangular recess in the handle adapted to receive in non-rotaryy and direct frictional engagement on one side a ilat portion of the arbor, the opposite ilat portion of the arbor being presented to the other side ,oi said recess, said handle having a continuation of said recess adjacent one side and forming notches with an adjacent open portion, a boss in said adjacent open portion, a spring holding member, the ends of which are in said notches and the central portion of which is adjacent one of the fiat portions on the arbor and the boss, resilient wedge-like means struck from the ends of said holding member and being respectively movable with the narrow portions foremost into the notches to permit easy insertion of the spring holding member but to resist removal of the spring holding member by gripping in the notches from the wider rear portions of the wedge-like means, and resilient means struck from the center of the holding member and engageable with a flat portion of the arbor.

2. An attachment for connecting handles and the like with arbors, said arbors having two flat portions, each attachment comprising a rectangular recess in the handle adapted to receive in non-rotary direct frictional engagement on one side a fiat portion of the arbor, the opposite ilat portion of the arbor being presented closeto the plane of the other side of the recess, said handle having a continuation of said recess adjacent the last-named side and forming notches with an .adjacent open portion, a boss in said adjacent open portion, a spring holding member forming a beam borne at the ends in said notches and in between springingly engaging the adjacent ilat portion of the arbor, the deflection of the central portion of the holding member by any arbor rotation being limited by said boss, resilient wedgelike means struck from the ends of said holding member and being respectively movable with the narrow portions foremost into the notches to permit easy insertion of the spring holding member but to resist removal of the spring holding member by gripping in the notches fromthe wider rear portions of the wedge-like means.

MARCUS H. RHODES. 

